Usefulness of Percutaneous Transesophageal Gastro-Tubing in Patients Receiving Chemoradiotherapy for Advanced Esophageal Cancer: A Case Report

Abstract

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is often performed for nutritional management in advanced esophageal cancer. We here report a patient who initially received enteral nutrition via a nasogastric tube and in whom the subsequent use of percutaneous transesophageal gastro-tubing (PTEG) circumvented the need for a gastrostomy. It is believed that PEG is less painful than a nasogastric tube. However, we selected PTEG because a PEG would have been within the planned irradiation field and there was concern about radiation dermatitis. We were able to administer chemoradiotherapy with sufficient nutrition via an enteral feeding tube via esophagostomy. PTEG is a very useful tool in patients at risk of radiation dermatitis of the abdomen.

Keywords

• chemoradiotherapy
• esophageal cancer
• percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy
• percutaneous transesophageal gastro-tubing
• radiation dermatitis